Shepherd&#39;s crook.



PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905.

J. B. TIMBERLAKB. SHEPHERDS GRQOK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Application filed May 18, 1905. Serial No. 261,055.

T0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. TIMBERLAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at J ackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shepherds Crooks,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in shepherds crooks.

The essential features of structure and the matters of superiority andadvantage attained are hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 shows the initial blank or rod section from which I manufacturethe crook part proper of the implement. Fig. 2 illustrates the blank atthe second stage in the manufacture. Fig. 3 shows the metal part of thefinished crook, full size, after it has been fastenedto the handle. Fig.4 is a perspective of the ferrule part-as initially made. Fig. 5 is aperspective of the fastening de vice. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on linem 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a vertical section. Fig. 8 is a section on line3/ y of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a side View of the complete implement.

Heretofore metallic shepherds crooks have usually been made by forging ametal bar in to the desired shape, and although crooks of this characterhave many superior features there are likewise certain inherentdisadvantages incident to their construction, which it is one of theobjects of my invention to overcome.

Another object of my invention is to reduce the cost of manufacture ofmetallic crooks.

Crooks of the kind referred to were made by an expensive forgingprocess, commencing with taking a solid rod, shaping it at one end insuch way as to provide a hollow conical socket for the attachment of ahandle, and (by several steps of repeated beatings, swagings, andhammerings) shaping it at the other end so as to provide a leg-loop andan outwardly-extending arm with a tapering passage-way between the shankand the arm. Numerous cross-sectional shapes were necessary at thediflerent points along the length of the metal bar in order to have thediflerout parts of the crook adapted to meet the several functions thatmust be performed. Consequently these articles have been expensive andhave required a high grade of skill for their manufacture. When made inthe way described, they have been necessarily so shaped that the regionof flexibility and elasticity has been limited, the yielding of themetal under strain not being permitted at points between the inner endof the shank and the outer part of the loop, all the bending occurringbetween the outer end of the loop and the outer end of the laterallyprojecting arm. Again, one of the principal difficulties has been thesecuring of a proper tempering of the metal. The fact is it has beenpractically impossible to secure this to the extent desired, the metalvarying at different points so widely in its sectional shape anddimensions that uniformity of tempering cannot be attained.

I have discovered that an article of superior character can be cheaplyand readily produced by using uniformly-tempered wire of the properdimensions and shaping it in the way I will now describe.

In the drawings the crook is shown as formed of two strands of wire a a.A length of wire of suitable diameter is taken, and in following thepreferred method this is dou-.

bled or bent back at its middle part to provide the two parallelstrands. The blank thus formed is bent so that the strands are turnedback upon themselves and the shape is ob-- tained which is illustratedin Fig. 3that is to say, the bending and shaping is so effected as toprovide an outward or laterally extending arm 5, a tapering passage-wayc, a recrook where there is liability to have contact with the animalsleg. A single wire or rod cannot be used, for if it be so heavy (thatis, if it be of such long sectional diameter) as to be suflicientlystrong it is devoid of elasticity and capacity for yielding to such anextent that it is practically rigid. Such yielding of thelaterally-projecting arm is necessary in order to permit the easy andsafe entrance and escape of the animals leg, and high elasticity isnecessary in order to have the different parts return to their normalpositions and retain them after acts of bending have occurred; On theother hand, a single wire or rod of small gage or shortsectionabdiameter cannot be used because of the tendency to cut or tearthe skin or flesh of the animal; but by forming the crook of two strandsof wire or wire-rod of relatively small gage and arranging them side byside relatively to the axis of the loop I provide a wide surface forcontact with the animals flesh; second,-I insure a capacity for bendingto any ordinarily-required extent; third, provide for high elasticity,and, fourth, furnish a flexibility and elasticity which are distributedfrom the end of the handle along the shank or stem part to the leg-loopas well as along the laterally-extending arm from its outer end to theleg-loop. The labor in manufacture is reduced to a minimum. The highgrade of metal-working skill necessary to form the peculiarly-shapedforged crooks that have been heretofore manufactured of solid or heaviermetallic pieces by swaging or hammering is done away with, the presentcrook being formed rapidly by a mere wire-bending operation. Moreover,the several steps in the earlier manufacture incident to the temperingare obviated, inasmuch as the wire rod which I now employ is, at thewire-mill, at the time of the initial drawing given the temper which Irequire to provide the flexibility and elasticity peculiar to thesecrooks. The wire rod as received from the mill is worked up cold and allthe labor and expense incident to the several stages of heating requiredfor the forgingin the earlier method of manufacture, as well as thecareful and skilfully-conducted heating necessary for properly temperingthe articles, are dispensed with.

The wire part or crook proper can be secured tothe handle in anysuitable way. I

prefer, however, the method of fastening which is illustrated in thedrawings. I insert the ends of the shank part or stem part of thestrands into the end of a ferrule g and then lock them tightly to theferrule by means of a block or mass of metal h. Preferably this isformed separately from the ferrule and in two sections, with groovesz'onthe faces of the sections. The end parts of the wire strands are placedin these grooves, and the metal block is then forced under powerfulpressure into the end of the ferrule. In this way the crook part properand the ferrule become practically unitary and the article can be packedand shipped and sold independently of the handle part J and can at anytime be attached to or detached from a handle when desired. In theserespects the implement is much superior to one in which the crook partis secured directly to the end of the wood of the handle, in which casethe fastening of the ,two parts must be effected at the factory and .thehandle must be packed and shipped as part of the article.

either the handle or the crook the unbroken: part becomes useless to theshepherd and an In case of breakage of entire new implement must beobtained,

whereas with the present device the unbroken partfor instance, the crookcan be readily attached by the shepherd to a new handle,

though at a distance from the shop or store.

What I claim is l. A shepherds crook formed of two wire strandssubstantially parallel to each other for the animals leg, a leg-loop anda shank or stem, and the separatelyformed plug having apertures orgrooves for the ends of the shank -strands and adapted to be fastenedaround their ends when in the end of the ferrule, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN B. TIMBERLAKE.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTE J. LIX, H. M. Low.

